Dobby drive



w 0. 1 B. o. RANDALL 2,214,594

DOBBY DR IVE Filed Nov. 2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l 311Dent0r;

BENJAMIN O. R RNOA 1.1..

attorney p 1940- B. o. RANDALL 2,214,594

DOB'BY DRIVE Filed Nov. 2,. 1938" Z-Sheets-Sheet 2 Summer BENJHMIN O. RANDALL,

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dttorncu Patented Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE I 'DOBBY DRIVE Benjamin 0. Randall, Shelby, N. 0., assignor of two-thirds to G. L. Sarratt, Gaffney, S. 0., I executor of estate of L. Y. Randall Application November 2, 1938, Serial No. 238,423 I '2 Claims. (Cl. 28'l-90-) This invention relates to a dobby drive mechanism and more especially tomeans for driving a rocker arm of a dobby head from the crank I shaft of a loom. This connecting rod or drive '5 occupies, a very important positionin a 'dobby loom because its length will determineijthe position of the harness of the loom while in operation. Frequently adjustments are necessary so that the harness of the loom will occupy the proper 10 position on the upward and downward strokes.

It is, therefore an object of this invention to provide a connecting rod for a loom betweenthe crankshaft and the rocker arm of a dobby loom which has means for adjusting its vertical over- 15 all length without dismantling any of, the parts from the loom.

It is another object of this invention to provide aconnecting rod of the class described, said rod having a bracket adjustably secured on each end 20 thereof and each of said bracketshaving a well therein into which a ball and socket joint is removably mounted. Means are also provided for adjusting the amount of pressure exertedupon the balls by the surrounding sockets which are 25 disposed in the wells. By providing such an apparatus, it is possible to disconnect one end of the rod from its adjoining loom part and remove the socket-from the well without disturbing the other parts. Due to the novel construction of these 30 brackets, it is possible to adjust the pressure of the socketsupon the balls independently of the adjustment of the overall length of the connect- I ing rod.

Some of the objects of the invention having 35 been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,-in which 'Figure 1 is a side elevation of an end portion of a loom having a dobby head, and showing my 40 invention applied thereto; I I v I Figure 2 is an elevation taken along the line 2-2 in Figure 1, with the central portion of the connecting'rod being broken away; I

Figure '3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 in Figure 1; I 1

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4'-4 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an isometric view of the bracket which is disposed on the upper end of the con- 50 necting rod shown in Figures 1 and 2; I

Figure 6 is an isometric view of the bracket which isdisposed on the lower end of the connecting rod shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings,

55 the numeral l indicates the framework of a socket member 21.

loom having a'dobby head H, a rocker arm l2,

a crank shaft l3, and in some instances a bracket l4. The rocker arm M imparts reciprocatory motion to jack knives 8 and 9 which engage jacks, not shown, for raising selected heddle 6 frames in the loom. This bracket I l has a bearing portion l for partial support of the crank shaft I3. To this crank shaft I3 is secured an arm l6 which has a slot ll, therein, said slot being penetrated by bolt l8. Thebolt integral therewith a collar I9, and also a ball 2!), which ball is adapted to fit between socket members 2| and Y22. I

By referring to Figure 4 it is seen that the bolt l8 penetrates the slot I"! in such a manner that the collar l9 will abut one side of the armslfi and a suitable washer 25 will be placed on the bolt and pressed against the other side of the arm by means of a nut 26. The ball and its associated socket members 2| and 22 are adapted to be 20 placed in well 21 disposed in the lower enlarged portion 28a of bracket 28 as shown in Figure 4. Also disposed in this well is a cap member 29 which is adapted to fit upon the upper side of A set screw 30 is threadably secured in the upper portion of the enlarged portion 28a, said set screw having its lower end normally pressed against the top side of cap member 29. A lock nut BI is provided to hold the set screw in adjusted position. It is seen that 30 by manipulating the set screw 36 that the amount of pressure exerted by the socket members 2!) and 2| upon the ball 20 can be adjusted and therefore any wear that might take place can be compensated for by making this simple adjustment.

It is also necessary at times to lubricate the ball 20; consequently, a suitable hole 21a is provided in upper socket member 2| and a transverse slot 290, is provided in the lower portion of 40 cap member 29. The slot 2%. is disposed directly above the hole 2m so that oil may be inserted into the slot and allowed to pass downwardly through hole am. By providing a well 21, any excess oil will settle to the bottom for lubricating and contact surfacesbetween the lower socket member 22 and the ball 20, and will not drop onto the floor of the mill. I

The portion 28a has upwardly converging arms 35 integral therewith which merge into a portion 36, which is disposed a substantial distance above the top of the well 21. Portion 36 has an interiorly threaded bore 31 therein into which is 'threadably mounted the lower end of a rod 38.

18 has .10.

used to lock the rod in adjusted position relative to the bracket 28. It can be readily seen by referring to Figure 6 that the upper end of Well 2! is much larger than the lower portion. In fact the lower portion of the well is partially closed on all sides and the top of the wall which partially closes this opening, slightly conforms to the periphery. of bolt l8. The purpose of providing a slot of this shape is to enable the cap member 29 as well as the members 20, 2! and 22 to be removed from the Well through the upper portion of the well 27. All of this can be done without disturbing the overall length of the connecting rod. Arcuate shaped ribs 40 are disposed along one face of the portion 28a and upon opposed sides of the well opening so as to form a contact surface, should thebracket 28 be drawn into contact with the lever [6 during the operation of the loom.

The upper end of the rod 38 is threadably mounted in portion 45 of bracket 46. Likewise this portion has a threaded bore 47 therein (see Figure for the accommodation of the threaded portion of the rod 38, said threaded portion having a lock nut 45a therearound for holding the portion in adjusted position. The rod 38 has right-hand threads on its upper end and lefthand threads on its lower end so that by turning the rod the brackets 28 and 46 will be moved either toward or away from each other depending upon the direction the rod 38 is turned.

Diverging upwardly from portion 45 are arms 48 which have integral with their upper ends an enlarged portion 39 in which a well 50 is provided, this well being similar in many respects to thewell 21 just described. Disposed in this well is a ball 5! with upper and lower socket members 52 and 53, respectively, disposed adjacent thereto. Cap member 54 is disposed on top of the upper socket member 52 and a suitable set screw 55 threadably penetrates the upper portion of housing 9 and has its lower end contacting the top of cap member 54. This set screw is held in adjusted position by means of lock nut 56. 'The ball 5! is supplied with oil in a manner identical to the manner in which ball 20, just described, is supplied. The lower end of cap member 54 has a slot 58 in its lower side, which slot is disposed directly above bore 59 in the upper socket member 52.

Likewise in this case the members 5| 52, 53

and 54 may be removed through the upper enlarged portion of well 50. The ball 5| has integral therewith a bolt til, said bolt being adapted to project laterally from the well 50 and being adapted to also penetrate a slot 6| in arm I2. Integral with an intermediate portion of the bolt (it! is a collar 62, one face of which is adapted to have one side of arm I2 pressed thereagainst by 'means of a washer 63 and a nut 64. In order to justment as to its overall length without disturbing either of the bearings at its end. Also if desired, the bearings at the ends may be adjusted or removed from their respective brackets without disturbing the overall length of the connecting rod. In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used. in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim 1. A ball and socket joint for connecting a ball on one member to one end of a rod comprising a bracket provided with a rectangular opening, and having a well at the-bottom of the opening, a bearing block having its ends disposed in sliding contact with opposed sidewalls of the opening and resting in the well and having a concave bearing surface in its upper surface in which the ball is adapted to rest, a second bearing'block having its ends disposed in sliding contact with said opposed sidewalls and having a concave bearing surface in its lower side engaging said receiving the member having a ball thereon, said member having an I enlarged portion fitting against the outer surface of said wall for preventing rotation of the bracket along an axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the member.

2. A socket for connecting one end of a rodto a ball on the free end of a ball member, comprising a bracket provided with an opening having spaced parallel sidewall portions at one end of the bracket, a transversely disposed web intermediate the ends of the bracket, means connecting the other end of the bracket tothe rod, a member slidably confined between said sidewalls and having a concave bearing portion for receiving the ball on said ball member, a second member slidably confined between the sidewalls and having a concave bearing surface also adapted to fit over said ball, a web member spanning the space between the sidewalls of the bracket and having a screw threadably penetrating the same, one end of the screw engaging the second bearing member for pressing the same against the ball, the firstnamed end of the bracket having a lubricant well thereinin which'the first bearing member is disposed, and a pair of spaced diverging members integral with the portion of the bracket connected to the rod, one side of the opening being partially closed by a wall, said ball member having an enlarged portion fitting against the outside of the wall for preventing rotation of the bracket along'an axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said ball member.

BENJAMIN G. 

